


Twenty Three

by ThePancakePenguin



Series: Markings Made On My Skin [7]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Anxiety, Blurryface, Depression, Fluff and Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-30 22:33:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8551762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePancakePenguin/pseuds/ThePancakePenguin
Summary: Morning thoughts on tour.





	

The van runs over a pothole, making Josh's head knock back into Tyler's stomach from where it's resting in his lap. Despite this being the third hole in the road they've encountered this morning, the drummer remains dead to the world, drool trickling out of his mouth and staining Tyler's thigh.

He's known Josh for a little over two years and still hasn't asked why he has the marks. Josh hasn't asked about his, so he probably can't see them. He might not even be able to see his own, which is why Tyler is hesitant to talk about them even more than he would if he knew for sure Josh was aware of them. He'd probably think Tyler was _crazy_ if he brought it up. It's not like he can interrupt one of their usual conversations with "Hey, do you know you're covered in red? Don't worry, I'm not sure if you could see, but I'm covered in black, so I was just wondering if you have any ideas why we have this stuff."

But no, Josh seems blissfully unaware to his drum kit splattered in scarlet and his sticks stamped with rosy fingerprints.

He hasn't brought up Tyler’s dirty piano or the dark strings of his ukulele.

Josh  _definitely_  doesn't stare at Tyler's neck when he thinks he can't see.

Tyler sadly can't say the same for himself.

Times like these are the only times he allows himself more than a few seconds to take in his friend's red marks. The early morning light barely peaking over the horizon is giving everything a gentle periwinkle glow, illuminating the man wrapped around his waist. Josh seems so peaceful when he's asleep, his marks seeming less angry, blending into his skin more.

Tyler wonders if his own marks fade when he rests.

He wonders if Josh likes to watch him sleep too.

Josh's fingers twitch and he pulls his hand that was by Tyler's knee to his face. Tyler ignores the way his heart skips a few beats and slowly rests his hand in the drummer's dark curls, gently rubbing his thumb behind his ear. Josh's parted lips curl up as he shivers in his sleep. The red around his eyes fades a bit. Tyler experimentally scratches his scalp and marvels at the red becoming a dusty pink. Josh sighs and relaxes even more, nuzzling Tyler's thigh. The black around Tyler’s hands rubs off some, but doesn't seem to be getting in Josh's hair. It's somehow  _disappearing._

"How..." Tyler can't help but whisper aloud.

Josh stirs at the sudden break in their silence. Tyler's hand freezes as Josh's eyelids flutter open and he squints up at him. He pulls his hand out of his friend's soft hair and ignores the way it grows darker before he scratches his neck, face flushing. Josh only smiles at him and says "Hey," his warm voice slightly gravely.

Tyler's mind always blanks whenever Josh smiles at him like that and right now he's expected to talk?

"Uh...morning'?"

Josh gently raises and eyebrow at him. "Why'd you stop?"

Tyler opens his mouth to respond but no sound comes out. Josh's playful manner recedes as the red around his eyes gets darker. He sits up so their shoulders are touching, avoiding eye contact by staring at Tyler's neck and  _not because he sees how much darker it's gotten in the past few seconds._

"Sorry I used you like a pillow. You probably weren't able to sleep much in that position."

"It wasn't too bad."  _I got to look at you._

Josh smirks at that. "You wanna get some sleep Ty? You can lean on me; I gotta return the favor at some point." He softly pats his thighs.

Tyler's heart races again. He gives a short nod, scooting his body down until his back is pressed against Josh's leg. He hopes facing away from him will help control the urge to wrap himself around Josh like an octopus and never let go. He closes his eyes for good measure, hoping he can feign sleep well enough to sort out his thoughts about the marks, but the thumb that had started gently massaging the tension at the base of his heard lulls him to sleep before he can even begin.

The last thing he hears before succumbing to darkness is a gentle  _"love you, Tyler"_ whispered in his ear.

 


End file.
